Fears for village cricket club amid player shortage

Ken Hainsworth is believed to be one of Yorkshire's oldest cricket players

A cricketer who has played for the same village club for 67 years fears it will soon close due to a shortage of players.

Earlier this year, Glasshouses Cricket Club in Nidderdale had to withdrawn from the Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League - one of the biggest village cricket leagues in the country - because they could not get a team together for the season.

Club groundsman Ken Hainsworth said: "In olden days there was nothing else to do, but nowadays you have to beg them to play."

Glasshouses has been the league's most successful club with 19 league titles and 15 knock-out competition wins since the league started in 1894.

Mr Hainsworth, who with his wife Sheila has lived in the house on the edge of the cricket field since 1960, said his whole family had played for the club throughout the years.

He said he believed issues with recruitment for the team's current side was due to people's busy lifestyles.

"Years ago, lads would gang up at the cricket field to play on a night and again at the weekend.

"Every village had a cricket team. Now it's not looking good in Nidderdale and it's also expensive to run a club."

Mr Hainsworth added: "It's been my life. It'll be a sad day if the club closes".

Glasshouses Cricket Club was one of the founding members of the Nidderdale Cricket League in 1894

Less than two years ago the club faced a similar shortage but after appeals they managed to sign enough players in time.

Glasshouses' secretary Callum Bonny echoed Mr Hainsworth's concerns.

He said: "It's a recurring fear that we might have to say goodbye to the club altogether."

Mr Bonny said the club was planning to join the Harrogate & District Evening League next season as more players were available on a week night.

"We're hoping a new league and a new format of cricket might help us get back to where we want to be.

"But we understand it won't be an easy task," he said.

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